Fire, chemical reaction evacuates Parsippany business

PARSIPPANY – A machine fire resulted in a chemical reaction at a metal technology plant early Thursday morning, prompting an evacuation, Parsippany police said.

At about 12:19 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a fire at Zimmer Trabecular Metal Technology on Pomeroy Road.

Upon arrival, police were met by the plant supervisor and security guard, who confirmed all employees were evacuated prior to police arriving on scene.

Five Parsippany fire companies responded along with Parsippany EMS. Firefighters located and extinguished the fire in the rear of the building, police said.

An investigation revealed the fire was caused by a malfunctioning motor and during the incident, a chemical reaction in the plant caused an elevated chlorine level, police said.

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Morris County Hazardous Materials Team and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were called to the scene due to the chlorine level.

DEP conducted a chemical reading after the fire was extinguished and did not find high levels of chlorine within the building, deeming it safe for reentry, police said.

There were no injuries from the fire or chemical reaction and all exposed firefighters were decontaminated prior to leaving the scene.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com